Eddie Smotherman, Kirt Wade qualify for City Council election

MURFREESBORO — Two City Council candidates had qualified for the Aug. 4 election by Monday: incumbent Eddie Smotherman and Murfreesboro Planning Commissioner Kirt Wade.

Others who want to run will have until noon April 7 to return completed petitions to the Rutherford County Election Commission on the south side of the city's Square.

The top three candidates earning votes at large throughout the city in the Murfreesboro City Council election will win four-year terms to join a seven-member governing body that includes a mayor and three others up for election in 2018. The three seats up for election this year are held by Smotherman; Bill Shacklett, who has said he will run again but is yet to qualify; and Ron Washington, who has said he will not run again.

Smotherman was the first to qualify Jan. 28 in seeking to hold a seat he won in 2012.

"I’ve been extremely pleased with the cooperation I’ve had and success that we’ve had in my first term, and would like to continue to carry over some of that experience to a second term and continue to accomplish some of the many projects that we’ve undertaken recently," Smotherman said. "Examples would be the new fire station on Medical Center Parkway, the new police headquarters and the Middle Tennessee Boulevard projects."

Smotherman takes pride in standing up for property rights, such as persuading the City Council to reroute an expansion of the Stones River Greenway to allow a homeowner to remain.

"I've been fortunate to have a good group of people to work with while I’ve been on the council," said Smotherman, who also is one of the council's representatives on the city's Planning Commission and the Parks & Recreation Commission.

The incumbent councilman also advocated for allowing gun permit holders to carry their firearms on the greenway.

The majority of the City Council wanted to keep the local government's ban prohibiting firearms on the greenway, but the Tennessee General Assembly passed a law that allows gun permit holders to carry weapons in parks.

"I've stood for Second Amendment rights," said Smotherman, who favors gun permit holders being able to carry their weapons in the more remote areas of parks such as greenways but not by ballfields and other places where competitive games are taking place.

Smotherman said he's also sought to preserve Murfreesboro's historical markers, such as the City Council's decision to buy the former First United Methodist Church in the downtown area for $1.55 million from Franklin Synergy Bank with the hopes of redevelopment that maintains part of a building that dates back 127 years.

Like the issue with guns on the greenway, Smotherman also has been in the minority in opposing the City Council majority's views on red-light cameras.

"I think we have raised awareness around intersections and respecting red lights," Smotherman said. "We will continue to try to make Murfreesboro intersections safer and use all the tools available, and not just red-light cameras."

Smotherman had success in calling for a referendum of the city's election date to be moved from April to August, and more than 85.8 percent of the voters approved the change.

There's been some talk about another referendum on whether the City Council should have district representation. Smotherman favors a hybrid approach with four council districts and two at-large seats, but he said he's not sure he'd be able to get a second to call for a referendum at this time.

"I’m not sure we have the support that we need," Smotherman said. "I would say on the next election cycle we’d have the best chance of seeking it."

Smotherman also backs establishing term limits of eight years or 12 years for the City Council. When it comes to seeking a second term, Smotherman said many voters asked him to run again.

New candidate

Wade became the second candidate to qualify for the City Council election on Friday.

Kirt Wade(Photo: Submitted)

"My platform in running for City Council is to move Murfreesboro forward together," said Wade, who has served on the Planning Commission since 2011. "This means that voices from all areas of Murfreesboro should be heard."

Wade owns Price Paving and lives in the city's Blackman area on the west side.

Reach Scott Broden at 615-278-5158 and on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Qualified candidates

Candidates who have qualified for the Aug. 4 election:

Murfreesboro City Council: Eddie Smotherman and Kirt Wade

Murfreesboro City School Board: Butch Campbell, incumbent

Rutherford County Board of Education Zone 6: Jeff Jordan, incumbent; and David Sevier

Rutherford County Board of Education Zone 5: Terry Hodge, incumbent

Rutherford County Board of Education Zone 3: Lisa Moore, incumbent

Rutherford County Board of Education Zone 2: Coy Young, incumbent

Rutherford County Road Board Zone 6: Paul Johnson, incumbent

Rutherford County Road Board Zone 3: Randal "Bubba" Jones, incumbent

Smyrna Court Clerk: Brittany Stevens, appointed to the position in February to replaced Terry Davenport, who retired

State House of Representatives 34th District: Republican Jimmy Turner

State House of Representatives 37th District: Repubilcan Dawn White, incumbent

State House of Representatives 48th District: Republican Bryan Terry, incumbent

State House of Representatives 49th District: Republican Mike Sparks, incumbent

U.S. House of Representatives 4th Congressional District: Republican Grant Starrett

Source: Rutherford County Election Commission

Election dates

Early voting for Rutherford County, Murfreesboro and Smyrna Court clerk elections, and federal and state primaries: July 15-30

Election day for Rutherford County, Murfreesboro and Smyrna Court clerk, and federal and state primaries: Aug. 4

Deadline to register to vote for Rutherford County, Murfreesboro and Smyrna Court clerk offices, and federal and state primaries: July 5